Peter Halsten Thorkelson (February 13, 1942 – February 21, 2019), known professionally as Peter Tork, was an American musician, composer, and actor who was best known as the keyboardist and bass guitarist of the Monkees. Tork grew up in Connecticut and in the mid-1960s as part of the Greenwich Village folk scene in New York City where he befriended musician Stephen Stills.
in 1942, though many news articles incorrectly report him as having been born in 1944 in New York City—the date and location listed in early press releases for The Monkees television show.
in 1942, though many news articles incorrectly report him as having been born in 1944 in New York City—the date and location listed in early press releases for The Monkees television show.
He attended Carleton College before he moved to New York City, where he became part of the folk music scene in Greenwich Village during the first half of the 1960s.
The success of the show made him a teen idol from 1966 to 1968.
He kind of moons around with a lovesick expression on his face — not like the real Peter Tork at all." ==Post-Monkees== During a trip to London in December 1967, Tork contributed banjo to George Harrison's soundtrack to the 1968 film Wonderwall.
The success of the show made him a teen idol from 1966 to 1968.
The band finished a Far East tour in October 1968 (where Tork's copy of Naked Lunch was confiscated by Australian Customs) and then filmed an NBC television special, 33⅓ Revolutions per Monkee, which rehashed many of the ideas from Head. No longer getting the group dynamic he wanted, and pleading "exhaustion" from the grueling schedule, Tork bought out the remaining four years of his contract for $160,000, leaving him with little income.
He kind of moons around with a lovesick expression on his face — not like the real Peter Tork at all." ==Post-Monkees== During a trip to London in December 1967, Tork contributed banjo to George Harrison's soundtrack to the 1968 film Wonderwall.
His playing was featured in the movie, but not on the official Wonderwall Music soundtrack album released in November 1968.
A decade later, all four group members recorded Justus, the first recording with all four members since 1968.
In the DVD commentary for the 33⅓ Revolutions per Monkee TV special – originally broadcast April 14, 1969 – Dolenz noted that Nesmith gave Tork a gold watch as a going-away present, with the engraving "From the guys down at work." Jones noted at the time that "Peter's soul left us two and a half years ago.
Tork said in April 1969, "We sometimes have four.
The release could not secure a record contract, and by 1970, Tork was once again a solo artist.
He sold his house in 1970, and he and a pregnant Reine Stewart moved into the basement of David Crosby's home.
He moved to Fairfax in Marin County, California, in the early 1970s, where he joined the 35-voice Fairfax Street Choir and played guitar for a shuffle blues band called Osceola.
Tork was credited with co-arranging a Dolenz solo single on MGM Records in 1971 ("Easy on You" backed with "Oh Someone").
An arrest and conviction for possession of [resulted in three months in an Oklahoma penitentiary in 1972.
He spent a total of three years as a teacher of music, social studies, math, French and history, and coached baseball at several schools. Tork joined Dolenz, Jones, Boyce, and Hart onstage for a guest appearance on their concert tour on July 4, 1976, in Disneyland.
Recorded in summer 1980, it featured Tork, who sang and played rhythm guitar, keyboards, and banjo.
(Later, Davy Jones, the Ramones, Shrapnel, and others would follow in his footsteps.) In 1981, Tork released the single "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" (backed with "Higher and Higher") with the New Monks.
He also did some club performances and live television appearances, including taking part in a "Win a Date With Peter Tork" bit on Late Night with David Letterman in July 1982. ==Monkees reunions, other bands, and activities== In 1986, after a 1985 tour with Jones in Australia, Tork rejoined fellow Monkees Jones and Dolenz for a highly successful 20th-anniversary reunion tour (Nesmith was not interested in a reunion).
He also did some club performances and live television appearances, including taking part in a "Win a Date With Peter Tork" bit on Late Night with David Letterman in July 1982. ==Monkees reunions, other bands, and activities== In 1986, after a 1985 tour with Jones in Australia, Tork rejoined fellow Monkees Jones and Dolenz for a highly successful 20th-anniversary reunion tour (Nesmith was not interested in a reunion).
He also did some club performances and live television appearances, including taking part in a "Win a Date With Peter Tork" bit on Late Night with David Letterman in July 1982. ==Monkees reunions, other bands, and activities== In 1986, after a 1985 tour with Jones in Australia, Tork rejoined fellow Monkees Jones and Dolenz for a highly successful 20th-anniversary reunion tour (Nesmith was not interested in a reunion).
The trio of Monkees parted ways in 2001 following a public feud, but they reunited in 2011 for a series of 45th-anniversary concerts in England and the United States. Since 1986, Tork had intermittently toured with his former bandmates and also played with his bands, the Peter Tork Project and Shoe Suede Blues.
The four other tracks were "Good Looker", "Since You Went Away" (which appeared on the Monkees' 1987 album Pool It!), "Higher and Higher", and "Hi Hi Babe".
In 1991, he formed a band called the Dashboard Saints and played at a pizza restaurant in Guerneville, California.
In 1994, he released his first album-length solo project, Stranger Things Have Happened, which featured brief appearances by Dolenz and Nesmith.
In his second appearance in 1995, he joined Jones and Dolenz in Season 3, Episode 8 ("Rave On"), although they did not appear as the Monkees.
In 1995, he appeared as himself on the show Wings, bidding against Crystal Bernard's character for the Monkeemobile.
In 1996, he collaborated on an album called Two Man Band with James Lee Stanley.
The quartet performed live in the United Kingdom in 1997, but for several years following, only the trio of Tork, Dolenz, and Jones toured together.
In 1999, he appeared as the leader of a wedding band in The King of Queens in Season 1, Episode 13 ("Best Man"). In early 2008, Tork wrote an online advice and info column called "Ask Peter Tork" for the webzine The Daily Panic. In 2011, he joined Dolenz and Jones for The 45th Anniversary Tour in 2011. In 2012, Tork joined Dolenz and Nesmith on a Monkees tour in honor of the 45th anniversary of their album Headquarters, as well as in tribute to the late Jones.
The trio of Monkees parted ways in 2001 following a public feud, but they reunited in 2011 for a series of 45th-anniversary concerts in England and the United States. Since 1986, Tork had intermittently toured with his former bandmates and also played with his bands, the Peter Tork Project and Shoe Suede Blues.
The duo followed up in 2001 with a second release, Once Again. In 2001, Tork took time out from touring to appear in a leading role in the short film Mixed Signals, written and directed by John Graziano. In 2002, Tork resumed working with his band Shoe Suede Blues.
The duo followed up in 2001 with a second release, Once Again. In 2001, Tork took time out from touring to appear in a leading role in the short film Mixed Signals, written and directed by John Graziano. In 2002, Tork resumed working with his band Shoe Suede Blues.
The band toured extensively in 2006-2007 following the release of the album Cambria Hotel. Tork also had a pair of appearances in the role of Topanga Lawrence's father Jedidiah Lawrence on the sitcom Boy Meets World.
In 1999, he appeared as the leader of a wedding band in The King of Queens in Season 1, Episode 13 ("Best Man"). In early 2008, Tork wrote an online advice and info column called "Ask Peter Tork" for the webzine The Daily Panic. In 2011, he joined Dolenz and Jones for The 45th Anniversary Tour in 2011. In 2012, Tork joined Dolenz and Nesmith on a Monkees tour in honor of the 45th anniversary of their album Headquarters, as well as in tribute to the late Jones.
He had three children: a daughter, Hallie, with Stewart; a son, Ivan, with Iannoli; and another daughter, Erica, from a previous relationship with Tammy Sestak. ===Illness and death=== On March 3, 2009, Tork reported on his website that he had been diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare, slow-growing form of [and neck cancer].
On the other hand, the type of cancer it is, never mind the location, is somewhat well known, and the prognosis, I'm told, is good." Tork underwent radiation therapy to prevent the cancer from returning. On March 4, 2009, Tork underwent successful surgery in New York City.
On June 11, 2009, a spokesman for Tork reported that his cancer had returned.
Tork was reportedly "shaken but not stirred" by the news and said that the doctors had given him an 80% chance of containing and shrinking the new tumor. In July 2009, while undergoing radiation therapy, he was interviewed by The Washington Post: "I recovered very quickly after my surgery, and I've been hoping that my better-than-average constitution will keep the worst effects of radiation at bay.
The trio of Monkees parted ways in 2001 following a public feud, but they reunited in 2011 for a series of 45th-anniversary concerts in England and the United States. Since 1986, Tork had intermittently toured with his former bandmates and also played with his bands, the Peter Tork Project and Shoe Suede Blues.
In 1999, he appeared as the leader of a wedding band in The King of Queens in Season 1, Episode 13 ("Best Man"). In early 2008, Tork wrote an online advice and info column called "Ask Peter Tork" for the webzine The Daily Panic. In 2011, he joined Dolenz and Jones for The 45th Anniversary Tour in 2011. In 2012, Tork joined Dolenz and Nesmith on a Monkees tour in honor of the 45th anniversary of their album Headquarters, as well as in tribute to the late Jones.
In 1999, he appeared as the leader of a wedding band in The King of Queens in Season 1, Episode 13 ("Best Man"). In early 2008, Tork wrote an online advice and info column called "Ask Peter Tork" for the webzine The Daily Panic. In 2011, he joined Dolenz and Jones for The 45th Anniversary Tour in 2011. In 2012, Tork joined Dolenz and Nesmith on a Monkees tour in honor of the 45th anniversary of their album Headquarters, as well as in tribute to the late Jones.
The trio would tour again in 2013 and 2014.
The trio would tour again in 2013 and 2014.
From 2014 until his death, he was married to Pamela Grapes.
In 2016, Tork toured with Dolenz as the Monkees, in what would be his final tour before his death in 2019.
His cancer returned in 2018, and he died at his home in Mansfield on February 21, 2019, eight days after his 77th birthday. Dolenz expressed his grief via Twitter, saying "There are no words right now...heartbroken over the loss of my Monkee brother, Peter Tork." Nesmith made the following statement: Nesmith later commented on his often difficult relationship with Tork.
Peter Halsten Thorkelson (February 13, 1942 – February 21, 2019), known professionally as Peter Tork, was an American musician, composer, and actor who was best known as the keyboardist and bass guitarist of the Monkees. Tork grew up in Connecticut and in the mid-1960s as part of the Greenwich Village folk scene in New York City where he befriended musician Stephen Stills.
In 2016, Tork toured with Dolenz as the Monkees, in what would be his final tour before his death in 2019.
His cancer returned in 2018, and he died at his home in Mansfield on February 21, 2019, eight days after his 77th birthday. Dolenz expressed his grief via Twitter, saying "There are no words right now...heartbroken over the loss of my Monkee brother, Peter Tork." Nesmith made the following statement: Nesmith later commented on his often difficult relationship with Tork.
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